c25k free :: h”appy” Friday :: couch potato to 5k runner :: review

Do you ever do things because everybody else is doing it? Running is one of those things for me. At least it’s positive peer pressure. It was 2 years ago in October that I discovered the Couch to 5K (c25K FREE) app. I hated running. HATED IT!! My fat would itch when I ran. Please tell me you have had that happen. My thighs would itch, my muffin top, you get the point. If I could get past that, then my side would ache, my lungs start burning. You are probably understanding the level of inactivity I was coming out of. It’s hard finding time to exercise when you have young kids.That’s when C25K changed my attitude toward running. It started me off slowly. Slow enough that I didn’t want to quit the first time out. You begin with a 5 minute walk. BING, start running the nice lady says {dread sets in, but I start my jog}. BING. Start walking. {what, I can walk again already?} My maiden run of my “running career” was 20 minutes. 5 minute warm up, 60 seconds of running, then 90 seconds of walking that alternated, with a 5 minute cool down. It was doable, I could play my music while I ran, and I felt great when it was done. Could it be that I could actually like running? For the next 8 weeks I ran 2-3 times per week. Each workout in the app pushed me a bit further. It was Thanksgiving Day that I ran my first 5K. I didn’t walk once. If you had told me just 2 months prior that I could run 30 minutes without stopping, I would have laughed in your face. I truly believe that if you are physically able to run, you could be running a 5K in just 8 weeks.

I started the C25K again recently. My baby is 4 months old now and I hit a serious plateau with losing my baby weight. By the way, don’t forget you spent 9 months gaining that weight. Give yourself 9 months to lose it before you start beating yourself up. Of course I would like to lose some more weight by getting back into my running, but it’s more about how good it makes me feel. I like running solo or with my BFF that had a baby a few weeks before me. It’s time for me to decompress, clear my head, and do something good for me. It’s not selfish. Your kids and family can survive without you while you take 30 minutes bettering yourself. It sounds crazy, but it makes me a more pleasant person to be around. I have read about “runner’s high” due to the endorphin’s that get released. Whatever it is, my family is smart and they want a happy mom and wife. They let me out of the house to run.

I’d love to hear how you do with it. What are you waiting for? The weather should be cooler, you don’t need a gym membership or equipment if you run outside, and it’s a good excuse to get some cute running shoes. I used to say, “if you see me running, there must be a fire somewhere.” That’s all changed thanks to C25K.

Check out C25K FREE.

• You alternate between walking and running until you build strength.
• C25K™ is designed for people who are just taking up running
• C25K is an 8 week long plan.
• You workout 3 times a week, ideally with breaks between days.